Jan. 30: FanRag’s Jon Heyman tweets that Blanco would earn $1MM upon making the MLB roster and can pocket another $500K based on plate-appearance incentives.
Jan. 29: The Giants and Gregor Blanco have agreed to terms on a contract that will bring the outfielder back to San Francisco. Blanco himself announced the reunion on his Instagram account. Chris Cotillo of SB Nation tweets that it’s a minor-league deal.
Blanco, 34, will return to a Giants team with whom he played from 2012-2016 and won two World Series rings. During his years in San Francisco, he was a roughly league-average hitter, slashing .259/.338/.360 (99 wRC+) across 2,054 plate appearances. A good portion of Blanco’s value came from his outfield defense and base-stealing ability. Though he never hit well during the postseason, he managed to walk 11.9% of the time during October of 2012 and 2014 combined, and crossed the plate a total of 20 times in 33 games.
Blanco’s tenure with the Giants game to an end following a 2016 season that saw him hit the DL in August with a right shoulder injury. The Diamondbacks elected to scoop him up on a minor-league deal last offseason, and the team ended up selecting his contract on May 5th following the transfer of the injured Shelby Miller to the 60-day DL. Blanco went on to hit .246/.337/.357 across 256 plate appearances while playing a reserve outfielder role.
Though Blanco is now 34 and his speed isn’t what it once was, he still has a shot to split playing time with the newly-signed Austin Jackson in center field. Indeed; a platoon combination of the two makes a lot of sense; the left-handed-hitting Blanco is a 98 wRC+ hitter against righties for his career, while his mark against lefties is 13 points beneath that. Meanwhile the right-handed-hitting Jackson absolutely demolished lefites last year, to the tune of a .357/.440/.574 batting line.
There goes Jacksons platoon partner
Looks like Giants going to have 2 players, who’ll play their 1000th game with them.
This guy needs 8 more to hit that benchmark.
Austin Jackson hits it, his next game. ^^
What a landmark
Sarcasm? If it is, not funny!
It is quite the accomplishment, to play 1000 MLB games
You don’t have to be the most talented.. a lot of things can go wrong, and deserve credit for making it that long.
If you can play in 1,000 games, I don’t care what the stats say. You stay healthy, and you’re obviously at least somewhat useful to have on a roster!
Any player that isn’t even a regular can accomplish it in less than 10 seasons. I’m sure it’s something players are proud of when they look back on their careers, but I really don’t see why it’s all that noteworthy
Because MLB is like the NBA.
BEST players in the WORLD..
This guy’s accomplished more, than you’re willing to give him credit for. 1000 MLB career games, in any capacity or timespan, is noteworthy and impressive.
I guess I impress easily ^^
I like to give credit, when it’s due. Could’ve been cut a long time ago in the minors, without ever making 1
Fair enough
bingo !
You are obviously not an ex baseball player at a high level & full of it – staying in the MLB for even 5 years at a high level – considered being in 40 man roster – is HARD! So 1000 games is a good to be proud milestone –
Oh boy the gloves came off lol
This team just can not stay away from their obsession with their own guys. All the Giant fans that couldn’t fathom Blanco leaving last year will be extatic
Incredible!!
I dig it.
Oh God, I was afraid of this. Well, at least Giant fans can resume their love affair with this guy – warts and all.
Like Gregor! Wish they play him more though…
Really he has 41 rbi as his career high
Better than 40 RBI
41 more than you? good for him for getting another chance. minor league deal sounds like a good deal with upside.
Yea
That’s a really stupid answer for people who don’t have anything intelligent to say! It’s tired
that has been because except for in 2012 when melky went away he has always been a utility guy
And he always typically hit first or eighth, not exactly prime spots in the order to hit with RISP.
Bring back Timmy.
in the bullpen, sure
Topps 2012
I mean their team would be loaded if it was 2012
It’s loaded for 2018. The 2012 comment? Dumb and overused and unoriginal.
LOL…As loaded as a .500 team can be.
They still would be loaded for 2012.
They could go back to 2012 and win the World Series again!
Lol
Good signing for a minor league. He must prove to have value in spring training. One of my favorite guys to see play the game. Followed on him since he played with the Braves and became a fan favorite with the Giants.
Always really like Gregor Blanco and I’m a cards fan. The stats never really show what a steady back up he has been for years.
In response to the line in the article about Blanco’s poor postseason numbers, I was going to say “Ask Cardinal fans about his bunting ability.”
Larry Baer isn’t the owner smh.
You know they’ll be signing Angel Pagan next week.
On a minor league deal, sure. OF depth is good to have, as the Giants found out last year
Go Giants. But this is ridiculous. Let’s get older.
As a Giants fan, I’m pretty sick of this retread nonsense. I fully understand that there is no risk in a minor league signing, but this clinging to the past is getting out of hand. There are plenty of guys who aren’t in their mid 30’s who could most likely do as good or better job. I love what Blanco did for the organization over the years, but I’m over these sentimental coming home signings. We all know it’s only a matter of time before Lincecum and Romo are back on minors deals. What ever became of the knuckle ball Brian Wilson was working on?
I am a Giants fan, but the nostalgia tour needs to end. I think the Big Red Machine of the 70’s is a fair comp for the Giants of the 2010-2014 era. The Reds didn’t keep that team together for long after their ‘75 and ‘76 WS wins. The only player on those teams they reacquired later was Pete Rose as a player/manager, but once they traded or released a player, they were never brought back. The Reds and the fan base moved on from all their players no matter how good or bad. I joke that when the typical Giants fan found out they acquired Evan Longoria, the reaction was, “That’s weird. Is Panda injured or something?”
Honestly every guy they have brought back has been low-risk. Vogelsong in 2011 turned out to be better than expected. Yeah, Pablo wasn’t the best guy to come back but to at least see what he could do in a lost year, there’s no harm. Come spring training we can see what comes from the old guys, but stuff like this is so low risk, why the need to stop it.
Blanco has been the highlight film for much of the WS runs. His glove has had no peer in AT&;T. Park.
I’m happy as hell he’ll be trying for a spot for the ’18 season. C’mon Greg White!
Why not bring in Ben Revere? he has much better splits (esp last year), plays all 3 outfield spots, turning 30 in a few months, better defensively. Probably will play for similar money.
Exactly what I was thinking. I don’t think Revere can expect any team to sign him as more than a 4th OF for one year at a max of $3M. Perhaps Revere is a fallback if Blanco falters in spring training.
Here is a thought. Why don’t the Giants just start a cemetery out in center field. That way all these older players they sign or trade the young prospects for can just live out there golden years!!!
Hey, be careful what you say even in jest because it may come to pass. Just last week I was joking that it would be SUCH a Giants move to bring back Blanco, but I seriously thought they’d turned the corner on bringing back former players.
Are we reporting every time the Giants buy stamps?
This ranks right next to that in order of significance..
70 wins, here they come..
Bench filler. Nothing more.